Speed-up hair clipper



Oct. 6, 1931. E. R. POTTER Y 1,825,818

SPEED-UP HAIR cLrPrzn Filed Aug. 15, 19.28 2 Shoots-Sheet 1 Oct. 6, 1931. E. R. POTTER 1,825,818

SPEED-UP HAIR LIPPER Patented Oct. 6, 1931 f UNITI-:Dt STATES PATENT OFFICE RLBERT RICHARD POTTER, or VILLA rARmILLINoIs, AssiGNoR frov HARRY A. HIRST,

i t orL CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,4

y sIfIien-'UP HAIR CLIPI'RR Application aieaiiugust 15,1928. seriai'no. 299,823.

- My invention relatesto hair clippers and more particularly to avnovel constructionV of speed-up hair clipper of simple form capable of economical manufacture and so geared or 5 constructed that the rapidity of reciprocation of the cutter blade may be increased and which, while hand-operated, has a relatively high speed ratio, preferably from twelve to sixteen to one that is from twelve to sixteen 10 Amovements of the cutter bar to one movement of the operating handle-or lever, whereby'a barber may secure greater speed in'clipping hair with less effort than with hand clippers at present in use and without hair pulling and still avoid the objection to electric clippers which are difficult to control and can only be used'in a first or rough 'cutting opera.- tion. v

Another object of the invention is to provide a. hair clipper having a handle in the `form of a casingV adapted to house the working parts or gearing for driving lthe reciprocating toothed lcutter blade and an oscillatory handle o r lever pivoted to the stationary part 5 or casing and operatively connected to the driving means or gearing. the oscillatory handle being held outward by a spring capable of adjustment: to provide means for limiting the outward movement of the oscilla- 'tory handle as well as theinward movement thereof to provide means for securing proper' positioning and tensioning of the pressure plate' on the cutter bladel without interfering with the movement ofa rocking-lever-Yconstituting apart of the operating mechanism associated with a crank wheel or disk driven by'gearing operatively connected to the mov'- able handle member and to generally improve and enhance the value and efficiency 'of 40 devices of this class.

With the above and other objects in View, the inventionco'nsists incertain novel structure and arrangement-ot' parts to be hereinafter more particularly specified and pointed out inthe claims. e

` Infthe accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a pian view, of a hair clipper constructed in accordance with the invention. Fi'lgQ is aside elevation of the device.

' 50 Fig. e is a' bottom View.

l Fig. 4 is a transverse horizontal sectional View. through the casing, showing the gearing and otherparts in elevation. Y

- Fig.V 5 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view talren on the section line 5 5 of Figure 4;.

Figs. 6 and 7 are cross sectional views taken on the section lines 6 6 and 7 7 of Figure 45. Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken lon the section line 8 8 of Figure 4.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the sectionline 9 9 of Figure 5. y

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the section line 10 10 ot Figure 5, and i n Fig. 11 is .a sectional view taken on the section line 11 11 of Figure-4.

- Referring to the drawings in det-ail, my hair clipper isshown as comprising a casing 1 forming ahollow stationary handle including a bottom plate 2 over which .the cover 3 of the casing is secured as by means of screws eengaginginternal lugs 5 on the inside of, the downturned flange surrounding the cover, thus detachably connecting these parts Vand rendering it possible to easily assemble or disf assemble the casing tor obtaining` accessv to the interior parte rto be ,-subsequentlyfy described. The front endoflthe bottom 'plate l2 is disposed horizontally at an obtuse angle as indicated at 6 and has a plate 7 mounted thereon.` A stationary toothedor bottoni cuty ter blade 8 is securedtothe plates 6 and 7 as indicated at 9, whereby it may be removed for sharpening.- Y

Rectangular-guide pins l0 are screwedor otherwise mounted on the stationary blade 8 and an upper or movable toothed cutter blade 11 is mounted to reciprocate on the blade8 and hasa pair of slots 12 engaging the guide pins 10. The movable cutter blade 11 is recessed at the back as indicated at 13 for a purengaging the post 14 and overlying the plate 7, to which it is suitably anchored.

A movable or oscillatory lever or handle member 19 has a hub or sleeve portion 20 pivoted on the post 14 and engages the outer end of an expansil'ilecoil spring21 disposed within the cylindrical housing 17 and against the end wall of a hollow plug 22 threaded in the housing 17 so as to adjust the tension ofthe spring 21. The handle member 19 is limited in its outward movement by a stop or pin 23 constituting one of the connecting means for the plates 6, 7 and 18, and in its inward movement by a stop lug 24 on the top face of the handle member 19 adjacent the sleeve 20 engaging the adjacent end of the cylindrical housing. The spring 21 normally holds the handle Inember 19 outwardor away fromthe stationary handle member produced by the casing 1, which latter extends rearwardly centrally of the cutter blades.

Means are provided for rapidly reciprocating the movable cutter blade 11 by movement of the lever or handle member v19 so as to reciprocate the cutter blade by oscillation of the handle member.

For this purpose,a spur gear 24 is mounted to freely turn on the screw post 25 carried by the bottom plate and has `an eccentric -pin 26 on which is pivoted a connecting rod or pitman 27 which extends through an opening 28 in the sideof the cover 3 ofthe casing 1. Its `outer end yis pivoted between spaced ears 28 of a bracket 29, attached to .the `inner face ofthe handle member 19, on a pin tlin the formfof :a screw threaded :into one of the ears as indicated at 31. The gear '24 `meshes witha pinion 32 on a screw :post 33 also carried by the bottom plate 2. A spur gear 34 is fixed to the pinion 32 and engages a. `pinion 35 rotatable on a stud shaftextending upwardly from the plate`2. The pinion 351m the shaft or arbor 36 bears on a bearing 37 t0 secure the `proper elevation of the pinion 35. A crang disk 38 -Whichalso acts as a flywheel, is rotatable on the shaft 36 and is detachablyheld in position byawasher and spring ring 39. The disk 38 has a crank pin 40 rotatably mounted therein eccentrically and retained in position .by a similar washer or spring 41. The upper end-o'f the pin is enlargedto form a shoulder' resting on the top face of the crank disk and has a diametrical opening 42 slidably receiving the cylinder end 43 of a rock lever 44.

"Ilhis rock lever is bent to conform to .the interiorparts so that it will be best to accommodate it within the casingand 'to establish clearance. Its lower end is bent horizontally and apertured to pivot on `the ypost as indicated at 45, preferably `with an interposed bushing 46 and is then bent downwardly as 4indicated at 47 to engage in the recess 130i the movable cutter fblade. A pressureplate 48 lismountedon the post 14 `toiengage with gaging one of the guide pins 10 to properly position the pressure plate and when so mounted, it is held with slight pressure by a concavo-convex spring washer 51 disposed on the post against the top of the pressure plate and the front end of the cover 3 and a thumb Ynut `52 threaded thereover =t0 regulate lthis pressure.

In t-he operation of the device, the spring 21 fnormally holds the lever or handle member 19 outward-on the post or pivot `14, the 1 tension ofthe springr beingcapable of adjustment by reason of the plug or nut 22 so-as to secure the proper tension. Then the barber is usingthe device he grasps the handles and exerts pressure on the member 19, forcing it inwardly against the tension of the spring 21. In doing this. the gear 24 is caused to oscillate vby reasonfofiits connection with the member 19 b v the connecting rod 27. A-s the gear 24 rotates in `mesh with the pinion 32, rotation i thus imparted to the gear 34 in an opposite direction at increased speed. This rotation is in turn imparted to the crank disk 38 from the'gear 34-by the meshing ofthe latter with the pinion 35 fixed `to `the crank disk at an increased speed ratio, causing the crank disk .to be rotated :at high speed. .As the `crank diskzrotatespthe rock lever 44 will `be-rapidvlyoscillated `on its pivot 14 above the sleeve 20 of thermember 19, and .duetothe sliding enlgagement ofthe lever 44 at its circular portion 43 with a corresponding diametrical aperture ofthe pin'40, the latter will slide lback andforth on theportion 43 as the crank disk rotates. rFhis operation is eifectedwithout `any degree of friction or noise. As the -lever 44 is rocked, the movable cutter 'blade `11 `will berapidly reciprocatedacrossthelstationary cutter blade to secure `high eiciency in cutting the hair.

vBy reason of-the washer 51 and nut52 the pressure plate will be pressed forwardly .to secure proper' coaetion between-the respective cutter blades. This Ais facilitated by having the rear edge of the washer resting on the front Yend of the casing or cover plate This device may be easily controlled,rthe same as any ordinary hand clipper. It also may be operated with as much ease but with greate r speed and efficiency. As before stated, -the movement ofthe lever 19 when .forced out- `wardlbyfthe spring 21 is limited by the pin'23 and its inward movement is limited `by Ithe pin 24 engaging theend of the housing 17. The speed ratio between the movement of irl() vinsertan;

movable cutter blade will be moved in opposite directions from twelve to sixteen times according to the number of the teeth in the gearing and the ratio established therebetween.

lVhile I have shown and describcdmy invention in a preferred form, I am aware that various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the principles of the invention, the scope of which lnay be determined by reference to the appended claims.

I ela-im as my invention:

l. In a speed-up hair clipper, a casing forming a handle, a stationary cutter blade carried by the casing, a movable cutter blade slidable on the stationary cutter blade, a lever pivoted on the casing and normally spring-pressed outwardly, a gear train mounted in the casing, a connecting rod between the lever and gear train operating through an opening in one side of the casing handle adapted to oscillate and impart retation to the gear train in opposite directions, said gear train including a crank disk in the rear part of the handle, and a rock lever pivoted near the forward end of the casing, operatively connected to the movable cutter blade extending over the gear Vtrain and slidably connected to the crank disk at its free rear end.

2. In a speed-up hair clipper, a casing Vextended back to form a hollow handle, a

stationary cutter blade carried by the casing, a movable cutter blade, a lever pivoted forwardly of the casing and normally springpressed outwardly, a rock lever pivoted on the pivot of the first-named lever and having a depending porti-on connected to the movable cutter blade, a gear train in the handle of the casing including crank disk having a rotatable pin with a diametrical aperture receiving the outer end of the rock lever for sliding movement ktherein as the crank disk is oscillated to impart reciprocation to the movable cutter blade, and a connecting rod operating through one side of the casing pivoted'to the first-named lever and to one of the gears of the gear train to oscillat-e the latter upon oscillation of thek first-named lever. l

3. In a. hair clipper, a casing including a bottom plate having its forward end directed horizont-ally and a rearwardly extending hollow handle, a stationary cutter blade attached thereto, a movable cutter blade mounted to reciprocate en the stationary cutter blade, an upright post on the plate, a handle pivoted to the post, a housing on the plate having a spring therein engaging the handle tending to force it outward on its'pivot, means to limit the out-ward 'movement of the pivoted handle, means to 'limit the inward movement of the pivoted. handle, a cover on the plate forming a part of .thecasing and having an opening in one side,a pressurey plate on the pivot to hold `the movable cutter blade against the stationary cutter' blade, a gear tra-in rotatably mountedontheiplate beneath the cover, a connecting rod pivoted to the handle, and extending through the opening in the side of the cover and pivoted to the lowermost gear of the gear train, said gear train including a crank disk having an eccentric opening, a pin loosely held in said opening to permit the crank disk to turn relative thereto, a rock lever inthe hollow handle and also pivoted on the post and having a circular end slidably engaging a diametrical opening through the pin on the crank disk,`

the front end of the rock lever being turned down and engaging in a recess in the movable cutter blade to reciprocate the latter at high speed upon oscillation of the handle, through said gear train.

Ll. In a hair clipper, a casing including a bottom plate having its forward end directedhorizontally and a hollow stationary handle, a stationary cutter blade attached thereto, a movable cutter blade mounted to reciprocate on the stationary cutter blade, an upright post on the plate, a handle pivoted to the post, a housing 011 the plate having a spring1 therein engaging the handle tending to force it outward on its pivot, means to limit the outward movement of the handle, means to limit the inward movement of the handle, a cover on the plate forming a part of the casing and hollow handle and havino' an opening in one side,

'oted on the postv and having a circular end slidably engaging a diametrical opening through the pin on the crank disk, the front end of the rock lever being turned down and engaging in a' recess in the movable cutter blade to reciprocate the latter at high speed upon oscillation of the handle through said gear train, said rock lever extending over the gear train for engagement with the crank disk pin within the casing.

5. In a hair clipper, a casing, a stationary cutter blade carried thereby, a movable cutter blade mounted to reciprocate on the stationary cutter blade, an upright post on the casing, a handle pivoted to the post, means to holdlthehundle in `one direction, said ensing having n flat 3bottoln plate ond `u cover and forlningu hollow handle, a lever `pivloized on the ,post and engaging the movable cutter blade, a geur train n the rear part of the casing operatively connected with the lever, and an operative connection between 'the pivoted handle nternlediately and the `forward geur of the geur train through one side of the hollow handle.

ELBERT RICHARD POTTER. 

